"It was not my first instrument of choice," he recalled. "It wasn't the instrument my older brother wanted to play either, but the band director chose it for him. Then, when he was playing, it was all shiny in the case. And back then, if he had a yo-yo, I wanted a yo-yo. If he had a Popsicle, I had to have a Popsicle, too."

Gordon was 12 when he began studying the instrument. A year later, he was making career decisions.

Garcia was born May 29, 1967, in Waynesboro, Ga. His father played piano, exposing him early to classical music. However, his father played piano mostly in the church - and in those Baptist churches of the day, he said, the general consensus was that a musician either played sacred music or the devil's music. Happily, his dad didn't feel the same way.

And Gordon recalled, "It was when I was 13, after I performed at a concert at junior high school, I got this huge response. I wasn't used to people paying attention to me. I liked it. And right then I felt like I wanted to keep playing."

Gordon, a featured guest at the fourth annual Big XII Area Universities Trombone Conference this week at Texas Tech, will perform in concert at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Tech School of Music's Hemmle Recital Hall.

The show is open to the general public. James Decker, Tech's assistant professor of trombone, calls it "a once in a lifetime opportunity for the people of Lubbock."

Provided by fredaquilinophoto.com

Wycliffe Gordon has enjoyed an extraordinary career as a trombonist, conductor, composer, arranger and educator, receiving high praise from audiences and critics while touring worldwide.

Saxophonist Brad Leali, longtime professional musician and director of jazz studies at Tech, added, "Wycliffe is probably one of the greatest and most influential musicians of this generation. I've had the opportunity to play with him in several different situations, and his talent is phenomenal."

Though also revered as an educator, Gordon noted that he didn't learn to play in the classrooms while attending Florida A&M University.

"Fact is, I didn't do too much studying, really," he recalled. "I mostly partied, but I still would not trade the college experience for anything."

Instead, advanced classes began when he joined the Wynton Marsalis Septet in June 1989.

"I think it is great to get book knowledge," said Gordon. "It's great to get knowledge on theory, counterpoint. But there is no teacher greater than personal experience, playing live."

He noted that, when playing with Marsalis, the band would give master classes. It also started a Jazz for Young People Series, and Gordon earned extra money by giving private lessons.

 Concert arrives on closing day of Big XII Area Universities Trombone Conference, and is open to the general public.

 General admission tickets are $20.

 Tickets sold at the door but can be purchased in advance through PayPal accounts at www.swtromboneconference.com. 742-2270, ext. 247, for more details.

 Web: www.wycliffegordon.com

"A part of me was always fond of teaching," he said, "but the best part about teaching is the trade-off. The greatest thing is, you find out how little you really know. Teaching is the most fun when you can share the learning experience.

"I feel very strongly that you must master your basic fundamentals. Master your instrument first; then worry about improv. If you're playing trombone, it's more important to learn the slide technique, slide motion; you have to be able to control your breathing and be able to handle the upper and lower arm motion."

Gordon is quick to point out that the slide allows the trombone to be the instrument closest to the sound of the human voice, but added that some avoid the trombone because it is the "most difficult instrument to master."

Why? Gordon points out the "physical range of motion between positions 1 and 7," the difficulty that is "crossing the breaks" (pressing a valve down just as the slide is going up), and the difficult "coordination of tongue and slide."

Decker stated, "Wycliffe is one of the most influential jazz trombonists in the world. He is incredibly creative and he can instantaneously translate any sound he conceives of vocally on the trombone.

"I love his buttery, soulful tone. I own six of his recordings and enjoy listening to him immensely. I heard him at a New York City nightclub in June and was thoroughly impressed. He's also an inspirational educator; Gordon motivates his students to reach for the stars and is an excellent communicator."

The famed trombonist also will conduct master classes today and Saturday at the conference, said Decker.